How to Say ‘Why do they shake it?’ in Japanese
どうして揺らすんですか。
dou shi te yurasu n desu ka
[DOH shi teh yoo-RAH-soo n dess kah]
💬 Usage Tip: Adding んですか to a question asks for an explanation and sounds genuinely curious. Compare the plain 揺らしますか "Do they shake it?". The same pattern works elsewhere: どうして行くんですか "Why are you going?"
Phrase Breakdown
どうして
dou shi te
why
どうして asks for a reason. It is a common, polite way to say "why".
どうして来ないんですか。
Why aren't you coming?
Words in this phrase
どう
dou
[DOH]
how; why (part of どうして)
Combined with して to form 'why'.
どうして来ないの？
Why aren't you coming?
し
shi
[shi]
to do
The verb for carrying out or performing an action.
そのことをしました。
I did that thing.
て
te
[teh]
and; -te form
A linking form used to connect verbs to following grammar, such as progressive or polite forms.
仕事を探している人と話しました。
I spoke with a person who is looking for work.
揺らすんですか。
yurasu n desu ka
do they shake it?
揺らす (yurasu) means "to shake" or "to sway" something. んですか asks for an explanation.
木を揺らすんですか。
Are you shaking the tree?
Words in this phrase
揺らす
yurasu
[yoo-RAH-soo]
to shake; to sway
Transitive verb: to make something rock or shake.
神輿を揺らす。
Shake the portable shrine.
ん
n
[n]
(explanatory n)
Casual form of の; adds a tone of seeking or giving an explanation, often before です.
どうしたんですか。
What happened?
です
desu
[dess]
is; polite copula
A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.
少し伺いたいです。
I would like to ask a little.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.
A席はありますか。
Are there A seats available?
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